Can opener attachment



Aug. 12, 1941. w. v. OBRIEN 2,252,024

. CAN OPENER ATTACHMENT Filed June 15, 1939 All L Ritented Aug. 12, 1941 UNETE' STATES PATENT IGFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an attachment for use with can openers, particularly of the type which completely sever the top from the can, for supporting and removing the severed top.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide an attachment for use with can openers of the type which support and rotate a can for severing the lid from the can adjacent its rim, said attachment being adapted to engage the top of the can for lifting and removing it from the can after it has been completely severed to thereby prevent the severed top from dropping into the can.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the attachment positioned for use in conjunction with a conventional can opener,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly in section of the same,

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation of the same,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form of the attachment taken along a line corresponding substantially to the plane of line l-& of Figure l, and

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, It] designates generally a portion of a vertical supporting surface and I i designates generally a can opener mounted on the supporting surface Ill. The can opener II is of conventional construction and of the type which supports and revolves a can and which is provided with a disk type cutting element for severing the top from the can, adjacent its rim, as the can is revolved. The can opener II forms no part of the present invention and is shown merely to illustrate the ap plication of the invention, designated generally l2, which is adapted for use in conjunction therewith and with other forms of can openers which completely sever the top of the can.

The invention I2 includes a supporting bracket, designated generally l3, including a plate I4 provided with an integrally formed upturned flange I5 having a plurality of openings to receive driven fastenings for securing the bracket I3 to the surface Ii].

An arm, designated generally It is formed of the telescoping sections l1 and I8. Section i1 is provided with a recess I9 which extends from adjacent its end 20 through its opposite end to receive and slidably mount one end of the section I3. End 20 is provided with an opening 2| to receive the threaded shank of a wing screw 22 which extends therethrough and which is adapted to engage a threaded opening in the plate I4 to connect arm I6 and bracket I3. As best seen in Figure 2, the shank of the wing screw 22 is loosely mounted in the opening 2 I and a washer 23 is preferably disposed between the head of screw 22 and end 26 and is loosely mounted relatively thereto to permit the arm IE to pivot or swivel freely relatively to the bracket I 3.

The exposed free end of the section I8 of arm- I6 is provided with an opening 24 in which is slidably mounted a plunger rod 25 havinga punch ing element 26 fixed to its depending end. Punching element 28 is relatively thin and is provided with the opposite corresponding cutting edges 21 which taper to a point at the bottom of the element 26. The upper part of the punching element 26 is relatively wide forming the corresponding shoulders 23 for a purpose which will hereinafter be described. The upper end of the plunger rod 25 is threaded to engage an internally threaded recess in a knob or head 29 for detachably connecting the knob to the plunger rod 25. An expansion coil spring 30 is mounted on plunger rod 25 and disposed between section l8 and knob 29 to normally urge the rod 25 upwardly.

In Figures 4 and 5, a slightly modified form of supporting bracket, designated generally I3 is illustrated having a plate portion I l corresponding to portion I4 and in lieu of the upwardly projecting flange I5 the bracket I3 is provided with an upwardly projecting hanger I5 the free end of which is bent outwardly and back upon itself to form the hook 3| which is adapted to engage over the upper edge of the supporting arm of the can opener I I for mounting the bracket I3 thereon. Hanger I5 is provided with a set screw 32 for removably clamping the arm of the can opener I I to the hook 3|, as best seen in Figure 4. The remaining parts of the attachment are identical with those shown in Figures 1 to 3, with the arm I6 disposed substantially at a right angle to the bracket I3, as seen in Figure 5. Various other forms of supporting brackets could be employed in lieu of the brackets I3 and I3 constructed to be mounted on tables, shelves, and other suitable supporting surfaces.

The attachment I2 is adapted for use in conjunction with a can opener such as that illustrated at II, and may be adjusted longitudinally and angularly by extending or retracting arm I6 and by turning the arm relatively to the bracket I3 or [3, as heretofore explained, to position the plunger rod 25 above the center of a can, designated 33, when the can is positioned for engagement by the can opener II. To operate the plunger 25, the head or knob 29 is struck to force the plunger rod 25 downwardly against the resistance of the spring 30 to cause the punching element 28 to be driven through the center of the top of the can 33 after which knob 29 is turned substantially a quarter of a turn to position the shoulders 28'substantially at right angles to the slot formed in the can top by the punching element 26. Spring 36 is held under tension when the element 26 is positioned beneath the can top, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The can 33 being connected to the opener H, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, is then revolved by operating the crank of the opener I l until the can 33 has made a complete revolution at which time the top of the can will have been completely severed by the cutting element of the opener ll thereby permitting the coil spring 30 to expand to its normal position to lift the top of the can upwardly and away from the can body. The can 33 can then be removed from the opener H and the top of the can detached from the element 26 by turning it a quarter of a turn to aline its slot with the element 26 to permit said element to be passed therethrough. The can 33 will be revolved with the plunger rod 25 so that when it has completed-its revolution and is severed the slot in the top thereof formed by the element 26 is at right angles to the shoulders 28 so that the shoulders 28 will support the top as it is raised by the spring 33.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to and the right is reserved to make such variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention is hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An attachment for use with can openers of the type including a supporting arm secured to a vertical supporting surface and having means carried by its free end for engaging a can rim to revolve the can and means for cutting out the can top as the can is revolved; said attachment comprising a bracket having a horizontally disposed base portion, an arm formed of slidably connected sections, the free end of one of the sections being pivotally mounted on said base portion to mount the arm to swing in substantially a horizontal plane, a plunger slidably and turnably mounted in the free end of the other section, a punching element connected to the depending end of said plunger, said punching element being relatively wide and thin and being provided with tapered cutting edges forming a point at the lower end of said punching element, shoulders at the upper end thereof, a head mounted on the opposite end of said plunger, expansion spring means disposed between said head and arm, said plunger being depressible to cause the punching element to pierce the center of a can top and turnable to position the punching element at an angle to the opening thus formed for engaging under the can top while the can is revolved, for severing the top, and said top being raised from the can by the plunger when severed therefrom.

WILLIAM Vi OBRIEN. 

